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WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 




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For use of military personnel only. Not to be 
republished, in whole or in part, without the 
consent of the War Department. 

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945 


Prepared by 

ARMY INFORMATION BRANCH, A.S.F. 
UNITED STATES ARMY 


A POCKET GUIDE TO THE U.S.S.R. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Introduction. 1 

The Soviet Government. 4 

The Economic System. 7 

Nationality. 9 

Geography and Climate. 10 

The Soviet Union Counterattacks. 13 

Men and Machines. 16 

Wartime Life in Russia. 19 

Drama—Music—Literature—Sports. 23 

Rules for Health. 30 

Check List of Do’s. 32 

And Don’ts. 33 

Soviet Uniforms and Army Grades. 34 

Soviet Awards and Decorations. 37 

Financial Guide. 39 

Weights and Measures. 42 

Speak Russian. 43 

Language Guide. 44 















































































INTRODUCTION 


On duty in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 
the largest country on the face of the earth, you may be 
stationed in a sub-tropical climate or within a stone’s 
throw of the Arctic Circle. You may be in rugged 
mountains or on the steppe, which is level as far as the 
eye can see. The people will vary as much as the climate; 
the population of the Soviet Union consists of a great 
variety of peoples, each with its own culture, art, music 
and language. However, the predominant language of 
the Soviet Union is Russian; and, if you take the time 
and effort necessary to learn it, it will serve you well in 
any section of the country. 

The U.S.S.R. is one of the most active theatres of oper¬ 
ation of the present war. The Soviet Union has been 
fighting Germany since June 1941. The Red Army has 
won great victories, after having withstood many initial 
defeats. You should make it a point to remember that, 
in their march toward victory, the civilian population, 
as well as the Red Army, has undergone many hardships 
and suffered many casualties. The most densely popu¬ 
lated and most productive section of the country was 


l 


over-run by the Germans. In areas recaptured by the 
Red Army, Allied military observers have been astonished 
by the total destruction wrought by the Germans before 
their evacuation. In European Russia, it is difficult to 
find a single person who has not lost at least one relative 
during the war. 

It may seem to you that there is a pitiful lack of things 
to buy, especially food; but you must realize that all the 
resources and reserves of the Soviet Union have been 
mobilized and organized with one purpose in view —TO 
WIN THE WAR. Some of the people may appear 
shabby, or very plainly dressed, but they have been wear¬ 
ing those same clothes for nearly three years with almost 
no opportunity to replace even the most essential items 
of apparel. 

Russian men and women have been completely mobil¬ 
ized to further the war effort. As in all the United 
Nations, a very great percentage of the ablebodied men 
are in the armed forces. However, there is also a great 
number of women in the Red Army and the Red Navy. 
In addition, essential war industries have absorbed a 
large percentage of the population. In industry, women 
have filled many of the positions requiring heavy physi- 


2 


cal exertion. The Russians know from first-hand experi¬ 
ence what total mobilization means. 

Wherever your duties may take you in the Soviet 
Union, you will find the people extremely conscious of 
the war. However, Russians do not spend all their 
time at the serious business of war. You will find enter¬ 
tainment facilities such as theaters, motion pictures and 
public sports clubs to which you, as a soldier of one 
of the United Nations, will be welcome. 

You will find the Russian people very proud of their 
country and of their efforts to industrialize it during the 
past quarter of a century. At the same time, they admire 
American technical ability and are quick to praise Amer¬ 
ican craftsmanship. One of the principal ambitions of 
Soviet Russia is to build an industrial organization 
similar to that of America, but on a different economic 
basis. 

The Russians are a friendly and congenial people. 
They will entertain you as well as they possibly can, but 
the chances are they are much more interested in hearing 
your comments, as an American, about the accomplish¬ 
ments of their country than in hearing you boast about 
your own nation. If you make any comments be sure 


3 


that what you say is well thought-out and based on 
knowledge of the subject being discussed. For this, it 
is necessary to understand the country and the people. 
The following pages will serve to give a basis for better 
understanding of the Soviet Union, its peoples, its prob¬ 
lems, and its aims. 

THE SOVIET GOVERNMENT 

The basic law of the Soviet Union is the Constitution 
of 1936. 

The chief law-making body or legislature is called the 
Supreme Soviet (Supreme Council). 

Two chambers with equal legislative rights make up 
the Supreme Soviet. These two chambers are the Soviet 
of the Union, and the Soviet of Nationalities. 

The Soviet of the Union is elected by the citizens of 
the U.S.S.R. on the basis of one deputy for every 300,000 
of the population. 

The Soviet of Nationalities is also elected by the citi¬ 
zens of the U.S.S.R., but by a system whose main idea is 
to permit representation of all racial, linguistic or other 
unified population groups; as well as the representation 
of groups having common economic interests. 


4 


On this basis, generally speaking, the U.S.S.R. is 
organized into political units possessing relative influence 
in the Soviet of Nationalities as follows: 

Union Republics (25 deputies). These units are the 
largest, have the most political prestige, and are more 
politically advanced than the lesser units which they 
may include. These lesser units, in order of rank, are: 

Autonomous Republics (11 deputies). Non-Russian 
people, chiefly, make up the population of these units. 
("Autonomous” means self-governing). 

Autonomous Regions (5 deputies). These are racial 
units less advanced politically, but still self-governing 
in local affairs. 

National Areas (1 deputy). These are the lowest 
ranking groups which are nevertheless represented in 
the Supreme Soviet. 

The smallest political unit in the Soviet Union is the 
simple "cell” or "council”, for which the Russian word 
is soviet. This form of organization is duplicated at 
all levels of the Soviet governmental structure to its 
highest form in the Supreme Soviet. 

Laws may be initiated by either chamber of the 


5 


Supreme Soviet, and a law is considered adopted if 
approved by a majority of each house. 

The Supreme Soviet elects a committee called the 
Presidium which, in the intervals between sessions of 
the Supreme Soviet, exercises many of its duties and 
functions. 

The Supreme Soviet also elects the Council of People’s 
Commissars (Sovnarkom), which is the highest adminis¬ 
trative organ of the U.S.S.R., and is responsible to the 
Supreme Soviet or, between sessions, to the Presidium. 

The Council of People’s Commissars issues decrees 
and executive orders on the basis of laws in operation 
and supervises their execution. Each Commissar is 
responsible for a special field pf work: foreign trade, 
banking, defense, heavy machine building, shipbuilding, 
food supplies, railways, chemical industry, electrical in¬ 
dustry, home trade and so forth. 

The only legal political party in the Soviet Union is 
the Communist Party. This party guides all important 
action through instructions from the central organs of 
the party to the party members who occupy most of the 
important positions in the government. For example. 


6 


Marshal J. V. Stalin is Secretary-General of the Com¬ 
munist Party. He is also Chairman of the Council of 
People’s Commissars. 

THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM 

The economic foundation of the U.S.S.R. is the social¬ 
ist system of economy. 

The socialist principle requires public ownership and 
public enterprise rather than private ownership and 
private enterprise. 

In the U.S.S.R., this system requires the common 
ownership of the following: 

(1) Means of production (mines, factories, farms, 
etc.). 

(2) Means of distribution (railways, etc.) 

(3) Means of exchange (stores, etc.) 

Also, this system requires the officially controlled al¬ 
lotment and consumption of all products. 

There are two forms of socialist property in the 
U.S.S.R.: 

(1) State property (property of the whole people) 


7 


(2) Collective property (property of co-operating 
groups, mostly collective farm groups) 

State property includes the following: the land, min¬ 
eral deposits, waters, forests, mills, factories, mines, rail¬ 
ways, water and air transport, banks, means of com¬ 
munication, large State-organized agricultural enterprises 
such as State farms ( Sovkoz ), machine and tractor sta¬ 
tions and the like, municipal enterprises, and principal 
dwelling-house properties in the cities and industrial 
localities. 

Collective property includes the land occupied by the 
collective farmers. This property is secured to them as 
long as they use it in accordance with the laws of the 
country and as long as they produce required quotas. A 
collective farm is known as a Kolkhoz . 

Soviet citizens unwilling to enter a Kolkhoz may retain 
their small individual farms, but may not hire outside 
labor. 

The Soviet law protects personal property rights of the 
following kinds: income from work; savings; dwelling- 
houses; domestic furniture; utensils and objects of per¬ 
sonal use and comfort. 


8 


NATIONALITY 


Citizens of the Soviet Union are of many races. The 
population contains representatives of most of the major 
European and Asiatic stocks. Indeed, one area alone, 
the Caucasus, with its profusion of nationalities, has been 
termed an "ethnographical museum”. 

In the U.S.S.R. there are Slavic and non-Slavic groups. 
According to the 1939 census, the Great Russians, 
Ukrainians, and White Russians, all basically Slavic in 
race and entirely so in language, comprised about 76 per 
cent of the population. These elements occupy roughly 
the areas of European Russia and Siberia, while the non- 
Slavic and non-European stocks inhabit, in general, the 
border areas in Central Asia and the Caucasus. These 
non-Slavic groups number about 40,000,000 people; of 
which the greater part are of Turkish or Mongolian 
stock. 

Because of this great variety of peoples, it is not cor¬ 
rect to call them all "Russians”. While the term "Rus¬ 
sian” applies to the majority population, "Soviet citizen” 
is more proper for general usage. 


9 


GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE 

The Soviet Union extends from the sub-tropics to the 
North Pole, stretches east and west nearly half around 
the globe, and covers an area equal to one-sixth of the 
earth’s total land area. This fact may be difficult for 
you to comprehend until this country is compared with 
the United States, which is only about one-third as large. 

The pre-war population numbered about 171,000,000 
people, most of whom lived in European Russia, west of 
the Ural Mountains. In the last 25 years, but especially 
since the outbreak of the war, a large part of this popu¬ 
lation has migrated eastward to the Ural Mountains and 
across them into Asia. Industrial plants were moved 
away from the fighting zone. Large new cities and 
farmlands were built and developed, out of range of the 
German Army. 

There are cities in European Russia which are among 
the oldest and the most famous throughout the world. 
Moscow is the seat of the government and the largest 
city. Leningrad lies about 400 miles to the northwest of 
Moscow. In the South, Kiev, Kharkov and Odessa are 
big cities of the Ukraine. Gorki and Kazan are two old 
cities located on the upper reaches of the Volga. On 


10 


down along the Volga are Kuibyshev, Saratov, Stalin¬ 
grad, and finally Astrakhan where the great river empties 
into the Caspian Sea. 

Most of the big cities east of the Ural Mountains were 
built or enlarged during the past 25 years. They repre¬ 
sent the new backbone of Russian industry, far removed 
from possible invasion. Magnitogorsk, Sverdlovsk, 
Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Komsomolsk, 
and Khabarovsk are included in this group. 

European Russia is a vast plain lying about 550 feet 
above sea level. The only mountain ranges of any sig¬ 
nificance are along the eastern and southern borders of 
this plain; the Urals to the east, the Crimean and Cau¬ 
casus Mountains to the south. The Caucasus, the highest, 
lie between the Black and Caspian Seas with the highest 
peak over 18,000 feet. The Urals, commonly accepted 
as the dividing line between Europe and Asia, are from 
1,000 to 4,000 feet in height. 

The Asiatic part of Russia, or Siberia, is also an im¬ 
mense plain with mountain ranges on its eastern and 
southern borders. 

The rivers of the Soviet Union are noted for their 
great length, volume, and sluggishness; they wind and 


11 


bend through the countryside. The main rivers in 
Western Russia are the Volga flowing south into the 
Caspian Sea, and the Dnepr, Don and Dnestr flowing 
south into the Black Sea. For reasons unknown, but 
expressed by some as the curious "tilt of the earth”, the 
western banks of these rivers are considerably higher 
than the eastern banks. This fact presented difficult 
problems to the Red Army when it was driving the 
Germans westward out of the Ukraine. These rivers 
are an important link in the transportation system of the 
country. 

In Siberia and Asiatic Russia, the most important 
rivers are the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena. These rivers 
flow north into the Arctic Ocean. Since the Arctic is 
closed to navigation most of the year, their use for 
transportation is limited. In the far east, another great 
river, the Amur, rising in the mountains of northern 
Mongolia, flows along the border of Manchuria and 
empties into the waters of the Pacific. 

In general, the Russian climate is stern. As a whole 
the annual mean temperature is lower than that of most 
European countries, due to the fact that the main bulk 
of the country lies well north (between 50° and 70° 


12 


latitude) and is remote from seas which, would have a 
moderating influence on the climate. In the northern 
areas, winters are particularly severe. 

Probably no other country in the world has such a 
variety of climate. For example, the temperature in 
Baku on the Caspian Sea will soar to 120° in mid¬ 
summer while in a little town north of Markovo in 
Siberia the coldest temperatures in the world have 
been recorded. 

You will notice that the Russians build their houses 
and clothe themselves in order to defend themselves 
against the weather. If you happen to be in Murmansk 
or Archangel or travel over the Trans-Sib air route, you 
will note that the houses are built with heavy logs and 
are well insulated and that the people are wearing clothes 
designed for warmth if not appearance. As you travel 
southward you will notice changes in construction and 
dress as climatic conditions vary. 

THE SOVIET UNION COUNTERATTACKS 

The countries of Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, 
Poland, Rumania, Yugoslavia and Greece were crushed 
and used as stone to pave the road to Russia for Hitler’s 


T3 


juggernaut. As dawn broke on 22 June 1941, nearly 
200 Axis divisions, more than 2,000,000 men, plunged 
into a front 2,000 miles broad, reaching from the White 
Sea to the Black. And though the offensive started 
along the whole length of this front, it was concentrated 
on three main objectives: Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev. 

In the first thirty days, von Leeb’s forces drove to 
within 125 miles of Leningrad, while the Finns under 
Mannerheim, supported by the Germans, began a drive 
from the north to encircle the city. In the center, von 
Bock’s army plunged 430 miles into Soviet territory 
and, on 17 July, captured Smolensk. According to 
Hitler, this was to be the German last halt on the road 
to Moscow. 

Simultaneously, in the south, von Rundstedt’s forces 
swept east into the Ukraine. This was blitzkrieg at its 
best. The world gave Russia another six weeks. 

But six months later, by the winter of 1941, the Nazi 
blitz had stumbled, fallen and frozen. The Germans 
had reached out for more than they could handle. The 
Red Army had begun to launch smashing counter¬ 
attacks. Throughout the winter of 1941, in spite of the 


14 


severe weather, they were on the offensive against the 
shivering Hitlerites. 

In the early summer of 1942, the Germans again took 
the initiative and concentrated their whole strength 
against Stalingrad. If Hitler could cut through here, he 
would sever the north from the south, and win the 
Caucasus oil for use in German motors. By late August, 
German guns and German bombers had shattered the 
city. Once again on the threshold of victory, German 
troops on 20 September entered the outskirts of the city. 
But the Hitlerites had not reckoned with Russian courage. 
Furiously, Soviet Armies lashed out in a spectacular 
counter-attack. By brilliantly executed encircling moves, 
the besiegers were besieged. Twenty-two Axis divisions, 
25 generals, 330,000 men were taken prisoners of war. 
This was the Red Army’s Christmas present to the 
U.S.S.R. in 1942. 

The Germans have never again been able to mount a 
sustained offensive. Even before the German defeat at 
Stalingrad, the Red Army had launched powerful offen¬ 
sives on the middle Don and in the Caucasus and had 
broken the blockade of Leningrad. In July 1943, the 
Germans tried once more to take Kursk and develop 


15 


an offensive toward Moscow, but these attacks were 
repelled. 

Beginning in August 1943, the whole front began to 
move westward, and by the summer of 1944 the Red 
Army had recovered almost all lost territory. 

MEN AND MACHINES 

Perhaps a decisive factor in Russia’s ability to resist 
the German invasion was the fact that she was able to 
replace her losses in the Ukraine by new production in 
the Urals and east of the Urals. 

The Ukraine had been called "the bread basket”. 
Wheat and sugar-beets, for example, were grown in huge 
quantities there. Mineral products also were a source 
of wealth: the Donbas coal, the Krivoi Rog Steel, and 
the Nikopol manganese. But the Ukraine had to be 
evacuated as the Germans attacked in 1941. 

Over 20,000,000 people were evacuated eastward as 
the tide of the German invasion swept forward. What 
the Russians could not take with them they destroyed 
so that the Germans would not benefit. Farmers applied 
the "scorched earth” policy; they burned and destroyed 
their houses, barns and unmovable equipment. 


16 


These millions of people went to work on the new 
collective farms in the east, and in the new factories. 
Under the Five-Year Plans, dams and electric-power 
plants had been built and were ready to provide power 
for the new industrial centers The completion of large 
new irrigation projects made it possible to develop new 
farming areas. Russian scientists developed harder 
grains which made new "bread baskets” possible in the 
colder climates of the eastern plateaus. 

As the Germans advanced, the Russians evacuated 
whole factories on river barges or by train on long 
strings of flat cars. Engineers and laborers went along 
and rebuilt the factories where they would be safe from 
the enemy, beyond the Volga. 

Thus, the "scorched earth” policy, as well as the re¬ 
birth of industry and agriculture in the east, was a great 
example of defensive strategy which denied the Germans 
what they wanted most: the riches of the Ukraine. 

They were sadly disappointed. The Ukrainian "bread 
basket” was made to yield to them little more than 
enough to feed the German armies of occupation. Their 
efforts to convert mines, oil wells or factories to their 
needs were just as discouraging. Aside from the 


17 


'scorching” and destruction which they found when 
they took over, they soon learned that the remaining 
local population not only would not cooperate, but 
hindered the Germans in every way possible. Through¬ 
out the period of German occupation, guerrillas were 
active and sabotage was usual. Add to this the destruc¬ 
tion of communications, the evacuation of all skilled 
personnel before the Germans arrived, the lack of usable 
machinery, the lack of fuel, and, of course, the more or 
less imminent danger of land or air attack by the Red 
Army, and it is understandable why the occupied areas 
did not yield to Hitler the riches he had hoped for. 

Now the tables are turned. The Red Army attacks. 
The Germans fall back in retreat—the Ukraine is ready 
to be farmed again. Cities and factories are being re¬ 
built. 

The new industrial giants, agricultural areas and popu¬ 
lation centers far to the east, which received such an 
impetus during the war, must not be considered as tem¬ 
porary. They were not created just to relieve the war 
situation, but are part of a long-range plan to indus¬ 
trialize and build up the entire Soviet Union and 


18 


strengthen it by making the various parts of the country 
as self-sufficient as possible. 

Another decisive factor in Russia’s victory over the 
Germans on the eastern front was Allied aid in the form 
of tanks, planes and many other war supplies, even in¬ 
cluding butter. Thousands of Red Army men, for ex¬ 
ample, are familiar with American tanks and planes, 
and appreciate Lend-Lease material sent from the United 
States. 

WARTIME LIFE IN RUSSIA 

As a stranger in the Soviet Union, you will notice 
customs and manners which differ from those in 
America. For example, Russian men may embrace and 
kiss upon meeting. Such customs are long-established. 
Don’t laugh or stare at their strangeness. 

When you see a woman acquaintance you speak 
first or otherwise she will not greet you. (It is ex¬ 
tremely impolite to whistle.) 

Not so easily understandable to the American, coming 
from a country where almost everything he wants is ob¬ 
tainable, is the lack of consumer goods in Russia. This 
lack is apparent in the clothing, the housing and the 
food. 


T9 


In the 1920’s, the Soviet leaders made plans and set 
in motion an industrial program of huge proportions, 
aimed primarily at building up the heavy industries. 
Luxury goods were low on the priority list. Russians 
had to manage without silk-stockings so that factories 
might be established which could produce more neces¬ 
sary things. Great dams like the one at Dnepropetrovsk 
were built to provide industries with electric power. 
Mass production went along on a big scale. "Speed-up” 
was the watchword. Russian life took on something 
of the "hurry-up” spirit in America. 

If you should visit the average Russian family in a 
city such as Moscow, the quarters may seem cramped 
to you, and there will not be as many pots and pans and 
household gadgets as you are probably accustomed to. 
Food will not be plentiful, but sufficient. Rationing in 
Russia has had to be much more rigid and severe than in 
America: people receive no more than what is con¬ 
sidered enough for the type of work they are doing. 

Country people live better than city citizens as they 
grow their own food and have the privilege of selling 
whatever surplus they produce in the open market. They 


20 


are thus in a position to buy whatever consumer goods 
are available, and so, perhaps, are more comfortable. 

The Soviet citizen generally is very likeable, well in- 
tentioned and friendly. When circumstances permit, he 
will invite you to his home and will accept your hos¬ 
pitality in return. As in all personal relationships, friend¬ 
ship depends on good will and intelligence. As an 
American soldier you should be well equipped with 
these virtues. Other items of interest about Russian life 
are the following: 

DRINK 

Vodka is the national drink in the Soviet Union. It 
is made from grain or potatoes, and looks like water. 
It is drunk straight in small glasses, bottoms up, and 
usually followed by a piece of black bread. One hun¬ 
dred grams, or about one-third pint, are issued daily to 
Russian front-line troops. 

Russians don’t particularly care for mixed drinks, and 
invariably with their drinks they serve "za-KOO-ski” or 
Russian hors d’oeuvres. They are usually made of fish, 
black bread, caviar and spiced meat. 


21 


CIGARETTES 

The Russians seldom smoke cigarettes as we know 
them. Instead they smoke what they call "pa-pee- 
RAW-sih”. Pa-pee-RAW-sih range from three to five 
inches in length, two-thirds being a hollow round card¬ 
board tube, and one-third a paper extension of this tube 
filled with tobacco. They like this individual cigarette 
holder because it keeps the tobacco out of their mouths 
and enables them to smoke all the tobacco. 

Mahorka is another Russian smoke. It is made 
from a small, wild weed and is very harsh to throats 
unaccustomed to it. Russians roll it in pieces of 
newspaper and smoke it, seemingly with relish. 

FOOD 

Before the war, Russians served many delicious 
national dishes, but now, under war-time conditions, 
availability of food is limited and their hospitality has 
necessarily been curtailed. 

Throughout the Soviet Union, black bread is regarded 
as the staff of life, like rice in China and Japan. Made 
from unrefined rye, it is deep brown, very moist, heavy, 
and somewhat sour. 


22 


You may encounter your first caviar. There are 
three types: fresh, grey-black caviar; pressed grey-black 
caviar, which will keep for months; and orange red 
caviar, which comes from salmon. 

The national beverage of the Soviet Union is tea, 
served in glasses. A Russian will break up a lump of 
sugar in his mouth, and drink his tea by filtering it 
through the sugar. 

TRANSPORTATION 

When the war came to the Soviet Union, all taxicabs 
were mobilized as well as most private vehicles, in¬ 
cluding cars, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles. Auto 
busses, trolley busses, street cars and, in Moscow, the 
Metro (or subway) are used for public transportation 
and are very overcrowded. 

DRAMA-LITERATU RE-SPORTS 

THEATRE 

Most Russians are artistic by nature, and are enthusi¬ 
astic theatre-goers. They like ballet and grand opera 
as well as plays; in the big cities especially, many 
popular performances take place. 


23 


Theatrical companies have frequently visited the 
front-line troops during the war years. Most of Russia’s 
top-notch singers, actors and dancers as well as other 
artists have made tours through the army camps and 
bivouacs. Many entertainers have been killed at the 
front. 

The Red Army Ensemble, for example, presents the 
folk dances and songs of the various nationalities of the 
Soviet Union. 

In general, the Soviet theatre prefers serious rather 
than light themes. Musical comedy, for example, is not 
often produced in the U.S.S.R. In the same way, con¬ 
cert music is preferred to jazz, although jazz has become 
increasingly popular among troops. 

MUSIC 

Excellent symphony orchestras, brilliantly conducted, 
can be heard in the Soviet Union. Russian symphonic 
music is famous throughout the world; Tchaikovsky, for 
example, is very well known in America. Americans 
also know of Shostakovich as one of the great living 
Russian composers. Others of our generation are Stra¬ 
vinsky, Gliere, Prokofiev, Shebalin, Derzhinski and 


24 


Myaskovsky. You will be able to hear frequent sym¬ 
phony concerts, if not in person, at least over the radio. 

RADIO 

In pre-war times, Russians owned their own pri¬ 
vate radio sets, but with the German invasion in 1941, 
all private sets were stored in warehouses for the 
duration. 

Now, most Russian homes in metropolitan districts 
have a loudspeaker which is wired to the central radio 
station in Moscow. This central station broadcasts news, 
symphonic concerts, folk music, pickups from Moscow 
theaters and just about everything that an American 
radio station handles except comedy programs and 
advertising. 

LITERATURE 

To know the Russians, read their literature. As in all 
countries, great writers of the U.S.S.R. reflect the life, 
the thought and the aspirations of her people. Her 
writers have gained world-wide honor for their realism, 
their directness and their simplicity. Among those who 
have contributed to Russia’s place in the world of 


25 


literature are Pushkin, Lermontov, Leo Tolstoy, Dostoev¬ 
sky, Turgenev, Chekhov, Gogol and Gorky. 

Although many local papers are published and many 
special small papers are printed daily at the front, their 
line of thought is taken from the main newspapers in 
Moscow: Pravda, organ of the Communist Party in the 
Soviet Union; Izvestia, official organ of the Soviet Gov¬ 
ernment; and Krasnaya Zvesda (Red Star), organ of 
the Red Army. 

As in all the arts, contemporary Soviet authors have 
been spurred by the war to write books, many of them 
dealing with the heroic spirit of the Soviet people and 
the Red Army. Over 20,000 new books have been 
published since 1941—over 2,000 having been written 
by Army personnel. 

MOVIES 

While Soviet movies may lack the technique, polish 
and lavishness of a Hollywood production, many of 
them are very good. Historical films like "Peter the 
Great,” "Alexander Nevsky,” and "Suvarov” have won 
acclaim from foreign film critics. 


26 


Most of the current movies have military themes, 
and you will enjoy seeing them. Soviet newsreels con¬ 
tain magnificent action shots (many cameramen have 
been killed in the front lines trying to take them). 
Newsreelmen have also parachuted into enemy-occupied 
territory, taken shots there, and returned guided by 
partisans. 

You may think Soviet movies are rather heavy fare, 
but remember they are made with a moral—they have 
a purpose to accomplish from the Soviet point of view. 
Lenin said, "Movies are our best means of propagandiz¬ 
ing the masses.” 

SPORTS 

Soccer is the most popular spectator-sport in the 
Soviet Union; big soccer games in pre-war times drew 
as many as 160,000 people. 

The Russians play tennis, basketball, volleyball and 
hockey, but do not know our baseball and football. 
Now, in war-time, those sports developing qualities use¬ 
ful at the front are stressed by Soviet authorities. These 


27 



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^Barnaul 

•XsBiisk 


Astrakhi 


Akmolinsk! 


Batumi 


.azagani 


Novokazalilfsl 


'alkhash 


asnovodsk 


B.lkhtsi 


Turksib 


Bukhara 


Frunze 


Teheran, 


Ashkhabad 


'Tashkent 


italinabad' 


Meshed, 


AFGHANISTAN^ 

Kabul 








/V,'Verkhn9, 

Kolymtk^ 


KAMCHA1 


Nelkon 


Tunr'* 1 */- 


TJdskoyo 


Bodail 


Baunt 


Komsoi 


B. Mamyr 


Blagovesh 

S<fhensk 


-KHobari 


Irkutsk 


1000 


MILES 

500 


KILOMETERS 


BERING 

SEA 


khansk 




THE SOVIET UNiON 

(U.S.S.R.)* 

— SELECTED RAILROAD -SELECTED TRAIL 

— ROAD OR MAJOR ROUTE -BOUNDARY 1938 















include skiing, cross-country running, swimming, boxing, 
wrestling, bayonet fighting and motorcycle obstacle races. 

You may get an opportunity to see Russian boxers. 
They may be short on skill, but they make up for that 
in spirit and ability to take it. Russian wrestlers employ 
the Greco-Roman style, all holds below the waist being 
barred. 

Soviet weight-lifters have beaten many of the official 
world’s records and Soviet swimming records are within 
seconds of America’s best times. 

RULES FOR HEALTH 

The watchword for the American soldier in Russia, as 
in other countries, is ’prevention”. Be on your guard 
against diseases carried by insects, animals, food and 
water, and protect yourself during extremes of heat 
and cold. 

Some diseases in the U.S.S.R. used to be limited to 
certain sections of the country. But due to conditions 
encountered in the long war, they tend to become 
epidemic in war areas. As in all battle-torn countries, 
bed bugs, lice, ticks, flies, sand flies, mosquitoes, water, 


30 


milk and small animals carry diseases which can incapaci¬ 
tate you for many weeks and perhaps cripple you for life. 

Fungus germs are widespread and will quickly infect 
a scratch or cut. 

As in all countries, be particularly careful to observe 
all rules relating to sex hygiene. If you expose your¬ 
self, venereal disease may well be the price you’ll pay. 
Don’t take chances; the odds are against you. If you do, 
take prophylactic treatment immediately. 

Fruits and vegetables must not be eaten raw unless the 
skin is first removed from the fruit, or the vegetable 
is cooked in boiling water. 

Due to the extremes of temperature, you must be 
prepared to protect yourself against heat exhaustion and 
sunstroke in the short hot summers, and against frost¬ 
bite in the long severe winters. You should dress 
sensibly. 

While keeping in mind the above conditions, remem¬ 
ber that there is no substitute for the Army methods 
of personal hygiene and sanitation. If your knowl¬ 
edge and teachings are carefully followed, you can 
expect to enjoy the same good health that you would 
have in any American army camp. 


31 


CHECK LIST OF DO'S 


Be friendly, courteous, and polite. Say "Pa-ZHAH- 
loo-sta” (Please) or "Spa-SEE-bo” (Thank you). Re¬ 
member that you are looked upon as a representative 
of our government. 

Shake hands on meeting and parting. It’s an old 
Russian custom. 

Stop when challenged: "STOY, ktaw eed-YAWT”. 
(Halt, who goes there?). The Soviet soldier and militia¬ 
man have been trained to shoot if you don’t stop. 

Speak Russian all you can. Russians will feel you 
are making a sincere attempt to understand them if you 
use even a few Russian words and phrases. And they 
will like it, no matter how badly it is done. 

Be generous in your praise of the Soviet people and 
the Red Army whose exploits have won the admiration 
of the world. 

Be frank, but friendly—but firm. The Soviets are 
frank, sometimes blunt. They respect strength and 
despise weakness. 

Be generous with your cigarettes. The Russians like 
them. 


32 


Carry toilet paper with you. Paper of all kinds is 
scarce. 

Familiarize yourself, if you like, with some of their 
writers and composers: Tolstoy, Puskin, Chekhov, 
Gogol, Tschaikovsky, Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shosta¬ 
kovich. The Russian loves good literature and good 
music. Try Chekhov and Tolstoy or Dostoevsky in the 
many English translations you can have sent to you 
from home. 

AND DON'TS 

Don’t be a "wise-guy”—the one guy out of a thousand 
who wrecks good-will by showing-off, bragging and 
griping with a loud voice and a thrust-out chin. 

Don’t get into fights about politics or religion. Be 
tolerant, be reasonable. 

Don’t deal in the black market. It is a violation of 
the law. 

Don’t call Russians Tovarich (Comrade). This is a 
salutation used only between Soviet citizens. Use, in¬ 
stead the word Gospodeen, meaning "mister”. 

Don’t joke about Soviet leaders. Soviet citizens have 
great respect, almost reverence for them and will be of¬ 
fended if they are treated lightly. 


33 


Don’t criticize the homes, clothing or food of a 
people who have been fighting a great war for three 
years and who have made tremendous sacrifices. 

Don’t photograph anything without specific authori¬ 
zation. The laws regarding the use of cameras in war¬ 
time Russia are very strict. 

Be security-conscious. Military information is not to 
be given out to strangers. 

Don’t get too romantic with Russian women. If you 
should get any ideas of marriage, you would have to get 
a "yes” from your commanding officer as well as from 
the girl herself. In any case, treat Russian women 
with utmost respect. 

If you are sensible and use your head, you will usually 
find that people in the U.S.S.R. are easy to get along 
with. 

SOVIET UNIFORMS AND ARMY GRADES 

Most people in the U.S.S.R. wear uniforms or semi¬ 
uniforms. Not all are in the armed services. People en¬ 
gaged in many pursuits which we classify as civilian 
wear clothes that are in fact uniforms. Unless such 
people wear insignia it is difficult to tell what they are. 


34 


UNIFORMS 

Arm or Service Uniform Branch Color 


Army Light Olive Drab 

Infantry 
Artillery 
Tank Troops 
Air Arm 
Cavalry 
Technical 
Troops 
Med. & Vet. 

Service 

Navy Dark Blue 


Crimson 

Red 

Red 

Light Blue 
Blue 

Black 

Dark Green 


N.K.V.D. (Internal Security, formerly the police organi¬ 
zation known as O.G.P.U.) 

Border OD Blouse, Navy Top of cap is 

Troops Blue breeches green, with 

dark red band. 


Interior Same as Army 

Troops 

Militia Dark Blue 

(Police) 

RR Guards Same 


Top of cap is 
bright blue, 
with red band. 

Top of cap is 
dark blue, with 
light blue band. 

Top of cap is red. 


35 





ARMY GRADES AND SHOULDER-STRAP INSIGNIA 

1 large star on gold lace. 


Marshal of the Soviet Union 
Army General (full 
General) 

Colonel General 
Lieut. General 
Major General 
Colonel 
Lieut. Colonel 
Major 
Captain 

Senior Lieutenant 
Lieutenant 
Junior Lieutenant 
Sergeant Major 


Senior Sergeant 
Sergeant 
Junior Sergeant 


4 stars on gold lace. 

3 stars on gold lace. 

2 stars on gold lace. 

1 star on gold lace. 

3 stars and 2 bars.* 

2 stars and 2 bars. 

1 star and 2 bars. 

4 stars and 1 bar. 

3 stars and 1 bar. 

2 stars and 1 bar. 

1 star and 1 bar. 

1 wide loop around 
shoulder strap below 
the button, and a longi¬ 
tudinal stripe. 

1 wide loop around 
shoulder strap. 

3 narrow loops around 
shoulder strap. 

2 narrow loops around 
shoulder strap. 


* The "bars” are narrow stripes of the branch color 
and run lengthwise on the shoulder strap. 


36 


Corporal 

Private 


1 narrow loop around 
shoulder strap. 

Plain shoulder strap. 


SOVIET AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 

Demonstration of courage and bravery on the battle 
field is acknowledged in the U.S.S.R. by generous 
bestowal of orders and medals. Likewise, the signal and 
loyal accomplishments of civilians, contributing to the 
betterment of the Soviet Union, are amply rewarded by 
decorations. Military and civilian personnel who receive 
such awards are entitled to special privileges according 
to the degree of decoration. These special privileges 
may include: travel free of charge on railroads, water¬ 
ways and street cars; small monthly pensions, various 
tax exemptions, and special attention at government insti¬ 
tutions and establishments. The Gold Star Medal is be¬ 
stowed on the outstanding heroes of the Soviet Union; 
it is equivalent to our Congressional Medal. Decorated 
personnel are authorized to wear service ribbons in lieu 
of the actual orders and medals. The Gold Star Medal, 
however, does not have a service ribbon substitute and 
is always worn on the left side above all other decora- 


37 


tions. It is a plain gold star. The Order of Victory 
also has no substitute service ribbon and is worn on the 
left side five inches above the waist. It is a ruby and 
diamond-studded star. 

SOVIET MILITARY DECORATIONS 

Gold Star (Recipient is a "Hero of the Soviet Union”. 

He also receives the Order of Lenin). 

Order of Lenin. 

Order of Victory. 

Order of the Red Banner. 

Order of Glory. 

Order of Suvarov—In three classes. 

Order of Ushakov—For naval officers. In two classes. 
Order of Kutuzov—In three classes. 

Order of Bogdan Hmelnitski—In three classes. 

Order of Nakhimov—For naval officers. In two classes. 
Order of Alexander Nevski. 

Order of the War for Fatherland—In two classes. 

Order of the Red Star. 

Order of the Badge of Honor. 

"For Valor” Medal. 

Ushakov Medal—Naval decoration. In two classes. 
"For Combat Service” Medal. 

Nakhimov Medal—Naval decoration. In two classes. 
"For the Defense of Leningrad” Medal 


38 


"For the Defense of Odessa” Medal. 

"For the Defense of Sevastopol” Medal. 

"For the Defense of Stalingrad” Medal. 

SOVIET CIVILIAN DECORATIONS 

Sickle and Hammer (Recipient is a "Hero of Socialist 
Labor”. He also receives the Order of Lenin). 

Order of Lenin. 

Order of the Red Banner. 

Order of the Red Banner for Labor. 

Order of the Red Star. 

Order of the Badge of Honor. 

"For Labor Prowess” Medal 
"For Distinguished Labor” Medal. 

"For the Defense of Leningrad” Medal. 

"For the Defense of Odessa” Medal. 

"For the Defense of Sevastopol” Medal. 

"For the Defense of Stalingrad” Medal. 

Civilian recipients of awards and decorations, if in¬ 
ducted into military service, may continue to wear them 
on their uniforms. 

FINANCIAL GUIDE 

The official monetary unit is the chervonets, which is 
divided into 10 rubles of 100 kopeks each. Prices are 


39 


quoted and official statistics are prepared and published 
in terms of rubles. 

MONEY TABLE 

10 chervontsev (chehr-VON-tsev) equals 100 rubles 

1 chervonets (chehr-VO-nets) equals 10 rubles 

1 ruble (roobl) equals 100 kopeks 

1 kopek (ko-PEY-ka) equals 0.01 ruble 

EXCHANGE AND PRICES 

Soviet laws prohibit the importation into, and the 
exportation from the U.S.S.R. of Soviet currency. State 
banks are the only authorized institutions through which 
foreign exchange transactions may be effected. Soviet 
banks readily purchase foreign money for rubles, but it 
is not their practice to sell foreign money for rubles. 
The Soviet Government maintains the ruble at a fairly 
constant value of 5.30 to a dollar. 

It is forbidden to bring any rubles whatsoever, from 
outside sources, into the Soviet Union, as these are con¬ 
sidered to be "black market rubles” and are strictly 
prohibited. 


40 


Do not carry large sums of rubles on hand. You will 
find very little opportunity to spend rubles for anything 
because essentials are strictly rationed and no luxuries are 
available at the present time. Do not expect to buy 
souvenirs: above all, do not offer high prices in order 
to obtain something you want. Better still, send your 
money home. 

SAVINGS 

Save as much of your money as you can, for your own 
benefit after the war when you’ll need it. The Army 
provides some highly-convenient facilities for saving. 

You can buy War Bonds by allotment or cash 
purchase. 

You can put your surplus cash into Soldiers’ Deposits 
at 4% interest. 

You can make regular Allotments-of-Pay (Class E) to 
your family, or to your own credit in bank savings or 
checking accounts. 

For sending odd sums of money home to individuals 
or banks, you can use the Personal Transfer Account 
System. 


41 


If you want more details about any of these services, 
ask your Commanding Officer. 

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 

The metric system of weights and measures is in 
use throughout the Soviet Union. 

The principal weights and measures, and their 
American equivalents are: 


kilometer 

equals 

0.6 mile 

meter 

equals 

3.3 feet 

centimeter 

equals 

0.4 inches 

long ton 

equals 

2,240 pounds 

kilogram 

equals 

2.2 pounds 

gram 

equals 

0.04 ounces 

liter 

equals 

1.1 quarts 

hectare 

equals 

2.5 acres 


The "pood” is 16 kilograms and is used chiefly when 
computing agricultural weights. 


APPROXIMATE 

CONVERSIONS 


inches x 2.5 

equals 

centimeters 

yards x 0.9 

equals 

meters 

miles x 1.6 

equals 

kilometers 

pounds x 0.5 

equals 

kilograms 

gallons x 3-8 

equals 

liters 


42 


Ga-va-RE E-ty eh Pa-ROO-ski! 

(Speak Russian) 

The Soviet Union is a vast country of many peoples 
and many languages. It is a country of 169 ethnic 
groups, each with a language of its own. 

Great Russian is the term used to designate the language 
which the man in the street knows as Russian. It is the 
official language of the government and of the Soviet 
Union. It is the mother tongue of more than half of 
the population and is understood by all educated people 
in the U.S.S.R. 

Russian constitutes the largest section of the Slavonic 
tongues. Bulgarian and Serbo-Croatian are its first 
cousins, while Czech, Slovenian and Polish are somewhat 
further removed. In origin, it stems from Old Bulgarian 
and, modified through time, has resulted in the modern 
Russian language. 

The difficulty of the language is easily exaggerated. 
Being an inflected tongue, like Latin and Greek, and 
with a strange alphabet to boot, it will puzzle you for 
a while. But don’t let it throw you. Remember, you 


43 


may not intend to be a student of the language, but you 
should learn enough to get along. To begin with, study 
the following language guide, and practice with your 
Russian friends. 

RUSSIAN LANGUAGE GUIDE 

All the words and phrases are written in a simplified 
spelling which you read like English. Each letter or 
combination of letters is used for the sound it usually 
stands for in English and it always stands for that 
sound. Thus, oo is always pronounced as it is in too, 
boot, tooth, roost, never as anything else. Say these 
words and then pronounce the vowel sound by itself. 
That is the sound you must use every time you see oo 
in the simplified spelling. If you should use some 
other sound—for example, the sound of oo in blood or 
door —you might be misunderstood. 

Syllables that are accented, that is, pronounced louder 
than others, are written in capital letters. Curved 
lines (^) are used to show sounds that are pronounced 
together without any break; for example, G^DEH 
meaning "where”. 


44 


SPECIAL 

E or EH 

I or IH 

ii 

A or AH 

j 


POINTS 

as in let, met, bell. Be sure not to 
pronounce it like the e in me. Exam¬ 
ple: G^DEH meaning "where”. 

as in hill, sick, rib, limb, but you 
will notice that the Russian sound is 
a little different from the English one. 
Example: chih-TlH-ree meaning 
"four”. 

when underlined stands for a sound 
something like the one you make 
when you clear your throat to spit. 
Example: beez DVOOH meaning 
"minus two”. 

as in father, calm, ah, pa. Example: 
kahg-DA meaning "when”. In un¬ 
accented syllables it may sound like 
a in sofa, China, about. Example: 
ZAHF-tra meaning "tomorrow”. 

stands for the sound we have in 
measure, usual, division, occasion. We 
have no single letter for this sound 
in English, so we write it here as /. 
Remember that j always stands for 
the sound in measure, never for the 
sound in judge. 


45 


You will notice that consonants in Russian are fre¬ 
quently followed by a y-sound. Such combinations 
are like the n^y sound in canyon or like the sounds in 
view (pronounced V^YOO), beauty (B^YOO- tee), 
mule (pronounced M^YOOL), or few (pronounced 
F^YOO). Consonants may be followed by a y-sound 
even at the end of a word in Russian; in this case, an 
apostrophe is written. Examples: DAYN’ meaning 
"day”, P^JYAT* meaning "five”. 

You may hear slight variations in the way Russian 
is spoken in various regions but these differences are 
no greater than those you hear in different sections of 
our own country. It is always best to try to talk like 
the people among whom you happen to be. 


GREETINGS AND GENERAL PHRASES 


English 

Hello 

Good morning 
Good afternoon 
Good evening 
Comrade 
Mr. Pavlov 
Mrs. Pavlov 


Russian 

Z^DRAHST-voo^ee-tee 
DAW-broy OO-tra 
DAW-brih DAYN’ 
DAW-brih VECH-eer 
ta-VA-reeshch 
ga-spa-DEEN PAHV-luf 
ga-spa-JA PAHV-la-va 


46 




English Russian 


Captain Pavlov 
How are you? 
Fine 

Excuse me 
Please 

Do you under¬ 
stand ? 

Yes 

No 

I understand 
I don’t under¬ 
stand 

Speak slowly 


ga-spa-DEEN ka-pee-TAHN PAHV-luf 

KAHK pa-jee-VA-yee-tee? 

ha-ra-SHAW 

eez-vee-NEE-tee 

pa-JA-loo-sta 

pa-nee-MA-yee-tee? 

DA 

NET 

pa-nee-MA-yoo 
nee pa-nee-MA-yoo 

ga-va-REE-tee MED-leen-na 


LOCATION 


When you need directions to get somewhere, you 
use the word for "where” along with the word for 
the place. For "Where is a restaurant?” you simply 
say "Where restaurant?” 


Where 
restaurant 
Where is a 
restaurant ? 
hotel 


G^DEH 

ree-sta-RAHN 

G^DEH ree-sta-RAHN? 

ga-STEE-neet-sa 


47 




English 


Russian 


Where is a 
hotel? 
station 
or if if is a 
large station 
in a big city 
Where is the 
station ? or 
toilet 

Where is the 
toilet? 


G^DEH ga-STEE-neet-sa? 
STAHN-tsee-ya 


vahg-ZAHL 

G^DEH STAHN-tsee-ya? 
G^DEH vahg-ZAHL? 
oo-BAWR-na-ya 
G^DEH oo-BAWR-na-ya? 


DIRECTIONS 


The answer to your question “Where is such and 
such?” may be “To the right” or “To the left” or 
"Straight ahead,” so you need to know these phrases. 


To the right 
To the left 
Straight ahead 
Please point 


na-PRA-va 

na-LEV-a 

PR^YA-ma 

pa-JA-loo-sta pa-ka-JEE-tee 


If you are driving and ask the distance to another 
town it will be given to you in kilometers, not miles. 

Kilometer kee-la-METR 


48 




NUMBERS 


English 

Russian 

One 

ah-DEEN 

Two 

DVA 

Three 

TREE 

Four 

chih-TIH-ree 

Five 

P^JYAT 

Six 

SHAY ST 

Seven 

SEM 

Eight 

VAW-seem 

Nine 

DAY-veef 

Ten 

DAY-seep 

Eleven 

ah-DEE-na-tsuf 

Twelve 

dvee-NA-tsut’ 

Thirteen 

tree-NA-tsuP 

Fourteen 

chih-TIHR-na-tsuP 

Fifteen 

peet-NA-tsuP 

Sixteen 

shiss-NA-tsut’ 

Seventeen 

seem-NA-tsuP 

Eighteen 

va-seem-NA-tsuP 

Nineteen 

dee-veet-NA-tsuP 

Twenty 

DVA-tsuP 


49 




For "twenty-one,” "twenty-two” and so on, you add 
the word for "one,” "two” and so on, to the word for 
"twenty,” just as in English. 


English 

Russian 

Twenty-one 

DVA-tsu? ah-DEEN 

Twenty-two 

DVA-tsut DVA 

Thirty 

TREE-tsu? 

Forty 

SAW-ruk 

Fifty 

pay-deess-YAHT 

Sixty 

shiz-deess-YAHT 

Seventy 

SEM-deess-yut 

Eighty 

V AW-seem-deess-yut 

Ninety 

dee-vee-NA W-sta 

A hundred 

ST AW 

A thousand 

TIS-ee-cha 

WHAT'S 

THIS? 


When you want to know the name of something 
you can say "What’s this?” and point to the thing you 
mean. 

What SHTAW 

this ET-a 

What’s this? SHTAW ET-a? 


50 




ASKING FOR THINGS 


When you want something use the phrase "I want” 
and add the name of the thing wanted. 


English 

I want 

cigarettes 

I want 
cigarettes 

to eat 

I want to eat 

a glass of tea 

a cup of coffee 

a bottle of 
beer 

a bottle of 
wine 

matches 


Russian 

YA ha-CHOO 

pa-pee-RA W-sih 

YA ha-CHOO pa-pee-RAW-sib 

KOO-shut 

YA ha-CHOO KOO-shuf 
sta-KAHN CHA-yoo 
CHAHSH-koo KAWF-ya 
boo-TIL-koo PEE-va 

boo-TIL-koo vee-NA 

SPEE-chik 


Money 

To find out how much things cost you say: 

How much ? SKA WL’-ka? 

or 

How much is it SKAWL’-ka STAW-yeet? 

worth ? 


51 




The answer will be given you in kopeks and rubles. 
A hundred kopeks make a ruble. About five rubles 
make a dollar. 

English Russian 

Kopek ka-PAY-ka 

Ruble ROOBL’ 

Time 

When you want to know what time it is you say 
really "Which hour?” 

Which ka-TAW-rih 

hour CHAHSS 

What time is it? ka-TAW-rih CHAHSS? 

To say it is "one o’clock,” you simply use the word 
for "hour”. 

One o’clock CHAHSS 

For "two o’clock,” "three o’clock” and so forth, you 
say "two hours,” "three hours” and so on. 

Two o’clock DVA chih-SA 

For "five o’clock” and up, the word for hours is a 
little different. 

Five o’clock 


52 


P^YAT chih-SAWF 




The simplest way to give the time in hours and min¬ 
utes is exactly like English: 


English 


Russian 


Five twenty 
Ten thirty 
Ten fifty 


P^YAT DVA-tsut’ 
DAY-seet’ TREE-tsuf 
DAY-seet 9 pee-deess-Y AT 


However, you will also hear expressions like 
"twenty minutes of the sixth” for "twenty after five” 
and "half of the sixth” for "half past five” and "minus 
two ten” for "two minutes to ten”. 


Twenty min¬ 
utes after five 
Half past five 
Two minutes 
to ten 
When 

the begin¬ 
ning 

of the movie 
When does the 
movie begin ? 
the train 
it leaves 
When does the 
train leave? 


DVA-tsut' mee-NOOT shee-STAW-va 

pa-la-VEE-na shee-STAW-va 
beez dvooh mee-NOOT DAY-seet' 

kahg-DA 

na-CHA-la 

kar-TEE-nih 

kahg-DA na-CHA-la kar-TEE-nih? 

PAW-yeest 

aht-HAW-deet 

kahg-DA aht-HAW-deet PAW-yeest? 


53 




English 

Russian 

Yesterday 

Today 

Tomorrow 

Sunday 

Monday 

Tuesday 

Wednesday 

Thursday 

Friday 

Saturday 

f^chee-RA 

see-VAWD-n-ya 

ZAHF-tra 
va-skree-SAYN’-ya 
pa-nee-DEL’-neek 

F^TAWR-neek 
sree-DA 
cheet-V AYRK 

P^YAHT-neet-sa 

soo-BAW-ta 


Other Useful Phrases 

The following phrases will be useful. 


English 

Russian 

How are you 
called? or 
What’s your 
name ? 

My name is— 

I am an 

American 

How do you 
say table (or 
anything else) 
in Russian? 
Good-by 

KAHK VAHSS za-VOOT? 
meen-YA za-VOOT — 

YA a-mee-ree-KA-neets 

KAHK ska-ZAHT table pa-ROO-skee? 
da svee-DAHN-ya 


54 






ADDITIONAL EXPRESSIONS 


English Russian 


Come in! 
Have a seat! 
Thank you 
You’re 
welcome 


voy-DEE-tee! 
sa-DEE-teess! 
spa-SEE-ba 
pa-JA-loo-sta 
or nee STAW-yeet 


Note that the expressions used when someone thanks 
you really mean "Please” and "It isn’t worth anything” 
—just as we say "Don’t mention it” or "It’s nothing”. 


What’s your 
first name? 
What’s your 
family name? 
Glad to know 
you 

I am your friend 
Please repeat 
I don’t know 
I think so 
I don’t think so 
Maybe 
I am hungry 

I am thirsty 


KAHK VA-shee EEM-ya? 

KAHK VA-sha fa-MEEL-ya? 

RAHT puz-na-KAW-meet-sa 

YA VAHSH DROOG 
pa-JA-loo-sta puf-ta-REE-tee 
YA nee ZNA-yoo 
KA-jit-sa TAHK 
VR^YAHD-lee 
MAW-jit BIT 
YA ga-LAW-deen 

or M^NEH KOO-shut’ HAW-chit-sa 
M^NEH PEET HAW-chit-sa 


55 




English 


Russian 


Stop! 

Come here! 

Right away 

Come quickly! 

Go quickly! 

Help! 

Help me! 

Bring help! 

I’ll pay you 

Where are the 
soldiers ? 

Where are the 
American 
soldiers ? 

How far is the 
town ? 

How far is it? 

Is it far? 

Is it near? 

Which way is 
north ? 

Which is the 
road to 
Moscow ? 

Draw me a map 

Take me there 

Take me to a 
doctor 


a-st a- na- V EE-teess ! 
ee-DEE-tee s^yoo-DA! 
see-CHAHSS 

pree-ha-DEE-tee ska-RAY! 
ee-DEE-tee ska-RAY! 
pa-ma-GHEE-tee! 
pa-ma-GELEE-tee M^NEH! 
pa-za-VEE-tee na PAW-mushch! 

YA VAHM za-pla-CHOO 
G^DEH sahl-DA-tih? 

G^DEH a-mee-ree-KAHN-skee-yee sahl- 
DA-tih? 

KAHK da-lee-KAW see-LAW? 

KAHK da-lee-KAW? 
da-lee-KAW? 

BLEES-ka lee ET-a? 

G^DEH SEV-eer? 


G^DEH da-RAW-ga na mahsk-VOO? 
na-chayr-TEE-tee KAR-too 
pra-va-DEE-tee meen-YA too-DA 
pra-va-DEE-tee meen-Y A G^DAWK-ta- 
roo 


56 




English 


Russian 


Take me to the 
hospital 
Danger! 

Take cover! 

Gas alarm! 
Careful! 

Wait a minute! 
Good luck! 


pra-va-DEE-tee meen-YA V^GAW-spee- 
tul 

a-PA-snusf ! 
voo-BEJ-eesh-chee ! 
hee-MEE-chee-ska-ya tree-VAW-ga! 
a-sta-RA W J-na ! 

pa-dahj-DEE-tee mee-NOO-too! 
f^see-VAW ha-RAW-shee-va! 


57 














































































